After living under Israeli occupation Steve Sabella (born 1975 in Jerusalem, Palestine) came to understand that the occupation attaches each Palestinian to an Israeli, as if in a tandem jump. The Israeli is always in control, placing the Palestinian under threat, in a never-ending hostage situation. It is this that proved the starting point for what would become The Parachute Paradox, with a draft coming in to TLC for assessment by editor Karl French.
Exploring love and loss, The Parachute Paradox traces internationally exhibited artist Steve Sabella’s arduous search for liberation from within, through a confrontation with his colonized imagination. It travels from the Old City of Jerusalem to London, Dubai, and Berlin, interweaving reflections on art and life, and the pursuit of global citizenship. It has now been published as a limited edition cloth-bound volume, and is a thing of beauty to behold. We are grateful to Steve for forwarding a copy, and very glad to have had a small part in another writer’s incredible journey to publication. We wish Steve the very best of luck with this and with future projects.
Of his experience with TLC, Steve wrote:
As a visual artist, I’ve always seen the goal of my process of creation as eliminating what is not necessary. My TLC manuscript reviewer’s literary expertise was very useful in understanding that the same process applied to writing, and helped me sharpen my skills. For example, I had infused a lot of emotion into the draft, and he pinpointed segments that needed to be toned down so readers would have the space to get to the essence on their own. At the same time he advised me to not underplay certain stories.
At that time I was considering moving a particular dramatic scene to the very beginning of the book. When I got the report he suggested the same thing, confirming my intuition. While not every piece of advice was put into action, I found it extremely helpful to hear an in-depth, neutral, fresh perspective. He was critical but maintained that the book “had potential” which further encouraged me.
Writing and editing The Parachute Paradox took almost four years. Though I had been aiming for mainstream publication at first, I chose an art publisher because I wanted more creative freedom with my text, and I also wanted to be involved in the design. Kerber Verlag and I worked in synergy to create a book that I hope others will see as exceptional.
Find out more and buy the book:
You can find out more about Steve’s work at his website, and order the book through his publisher, Kerber Verlag.
